Twister head electric stop



Oct. 31, 1944. STEUBER 2.361509 TWISTER HEAD ELECTRIC STOP Filed Feb. 29, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet l //v VISA/7'01? E L ME); 6. 57-5055? 17 T rat/v5 r Oct. 31, 19.

E. G'. STEUBER 2,361,509 TWISTER HEAD ELECTRIC STOP Filed Feb. 29, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 //v VEA/ 70/? EL/WE/E G-5TEUER Patented Oct. 31, 1944 ENT, Fr CE v TWiSTER HEAD ELECTRIC STOP Elmer G. Steuber, Pittsburg, Calif., assignor to Columbia Steel Company,

Delaware a corporation of Application February 29, 1944, Serial No. 524,505

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to an electric stop mechanism incorporated in the twister head of a stranding or rope-laying machine. It is broadly old to provide means for stopping stranding machines automatically upon the breakag of strand wire, but the machines of the prior art have inherent features of design which prevent their effective use in restricted space. The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art and provides an arrangement whereby breakage of wire can be detected at a point very close to the twisting point.

The invention will be fully apparent from the following detailed disclosure and the appended claims when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. o

In the drawings: Figure 1 is an elevation of a stranding or ropelaying machine embodying the present invention. Figure 1 is an elevation of tensioning means for pulling the cable or rope-like structure passing through the strand closing die of the machineshown in Figure 1. 1

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section through the twister head.

Figure 3 is a section on line III--III of Figure 2, at a reduced scale.

Figure 4 is a section on line IV-IV of Figure 3. '7

rality of spools I8 in a conventional manner, forv supplying wire or similar strand material 20. In

the embodiment of the invention illustrated, there are seven spools [8, six of which supply wire or like strand material for outer strands of a rope or cable, and the seventh supplies a center core strand The strand material passes through suitable guides 22 in the flier, and around suitable guide sheaves 24. The outer strands from the six spools pass over sheaves 26 at the end of the flier, and thence converge through outer guide bushings 28 which are mounted for free movement in guide slots 30 formed in a member 32 constituting part of the twister head. Normally the strands 20 hold the guide bushings 28 inwardly against the action of centrifugal force which naturally tends to move said guide bushings 28 outwardly.

-The central core strand 2!! passes through a guide member 28 which is mounted with freedom for movement relative to the member 32 in a guide slot 34 formed in the member 32. .The several guide bushings 28 and 28 normally occupy'the positions of Figures 5 and 6. A guide plate 35 secured by bolts 31 serves to movably retain the several guides 28 and 28 within their guide slots formed in the member 32 which con-. stitutes the main body portion'of the twister head. The several strands 2|] converge from the guide bushing 28 to. a closing die 38. The rotation of the flier twists the strands together in a conventional manner so that beyond the closing die 38 a rope or cable-like structure is formed.

Tension is maintained onthe strands in the usual manner, by passing the rope or cable several times around capstans 40 and 42 mounted on suitable standards 44 and 45 and driven by any suitable conventional means. The completed cable, as indicated at 48, is led off to a suitable take-up drum (not shown).

The several guide bushings 2828 -serve the double function of guiding the strands and actuating an electrical stop mechanism. These guide members 28 .and 28 are loosely positioned or mounted in the twister head. "Such loose mount-1 ing is of importance because it permits the guides to turn relatively to the twister head, and thus, prevents grooving and distributes the wear. v When any given strand 2!] or 20 breaks or develops an undue amount of slack, centrifugal force causes the bushings 28 or 28 to move out-. wardly. When the bushings 28 move outwardly, they are adapted to make contact with a ring 50 which surrounds the member 36 and which is insulated from said member and fromthe frame of the flier. The ring 50 carries two inwardlyextendingarms 52 and 54. A terminal boltifi' passes through the arm 52 andengages an insulating bushing 58 secured to the twister head member 32. A suitable terminal bolt .60 .passes through the arm 64 and engages an insulating bushing 62 likewise secured to the member 32 of the twister head. Conductor wires 66 electrically connect the terminals 56 and and therefore the ring 5|] with a collector ring 68 which, as shown in Figure 1, 'is insulated from the flier but rotates therewith. Coacting with the collector ring 68 is a brush 10 which is connected by wire 12 with a solenoid 14 or equivalent electromagnetic element which is in turn connected by wir-. ing IS with the secondary winding 18 of a transformer 80. The secondary winding 18 is connected by a wire 82 which is grounded at 84 to Line wires L L and L supply B-phase, 440- 7 carried by the flier and having movably mounted thereon a plurality of respective guide members through which the strand materials pass while en route to said pulling means, electromagnetic means capable of operating said motor control switch, an electric control circuit for said electromagnetic means passing through said flier, and a contact ring carried by the twister head and insulated therefrom and from the flier, said control circuit being normally open between said ring and said flier, the parts being so constructed and matically, whenever a strand wire 20 or 20* breaks. The motor control circuit includes a conventional normally closed stop push button 98 and a conventional normally open start push'button mechanism I00. In normal operation the tension on the strand wires 20 and 20 holds the several guide bushings 28 and fl' substantially in the position of Figure 5 or Figure 6. So long as the strand guides are held in this position, the control circuit through the electromagnetic element 14 is "open, and thus the 'motcr control switch Qlinaintains a closed motorcircuitjacross the contactsBG: Upon-breakageof any one of the outer strand wires ifl or the irmercore strand t wire lta the guidebushings 28-or -28 ,being no longer restrained by strand tension, willfly outwardly under the influence of centrifugal .force, thus-closing the control circuit through, the

electromagneticeiement 14; thereby opening. the .7

switch :94, breaking the -motor control circuit across contacts 96 so as to'automatically stop the motor" and prevent the damaged wire from being laid up-into the completedzcable.

The normallylopen push button station I00, when closed momentarily, completesthe control circuit 1. energizing themagnet coil -M. The magnet coil M'pulisthe motoricontactors M together, completing motor circuit .to' energize the motor 86. -At th'e'same'timethe auxiliary contact M for the control circuit is closed; thereby maintaining motorcontrol circuit closed until opened by either the normally-closed contactor 96 or'the stop button station I The motor 86 may be assumed to drive-the capstans 40 and 42;- or, if desired, these capstans can be driven by an -individual motor whose air-- cuit' willbe opened upon the opening movement of the switch 94."

While I have described quite'precisely an embodiment/of the invention :which-a reduction to practice has shownto be highly desirable, it is to be understood that various modifications may be made rwithinthe scope of the appended claims.

,I claim:

1. A stranding or :rope-laying r-machine comprising; in combination, a, an electric motor fordrivingsaid flier, anelectric power circuit for saidmotor, a switch-controlling the operation'of said motor, spools mounted-by said flier fo'r supplying istrand material, means for pulling the strand material 1 from i said: spools, 'a twister head'- arranged that upon breakage of any strand of said material the guide member through which it passed will be thrown outwardly by centrifugal iorce,'thus"closing the control circuit and energizing said electromagnetic means, which in turn will open the motor control switch and thus stop the'machine.

2. A stranding machine of the character described, comprising a rotatably mounted flier carrying a, pluralityof spools supporting supplies of strand'mater-ial, a twisterrhearl secured'fito and turning with the flier, strand guides mouilted'ron the twister head with provision for outward'movement-relative theretounder the influence .ofzcentrifugal forc'e, the strand :material passing throughsaid strandguides en: route to said pulling means, the tension on the strandmaterial normally preventing the outward "movement of said guides, a motor -for rotating said flier, a

switch'controlling the operation ofsaid motorpa normally open control circuit including an electrically powered :element for actuating rsaid motor control switch, the .flier' and twisterihead' being included in said control circuit, and a terminal member in said control circuit insulated from the twister head and the flier, any ofsai'd guide members b'eing'capable of closing the control circuit through said terminal 'imember upon breakageioi' stranding-material, Whercbythe said element is energized to open said motor control switch and thusstop the machine.

3. A stranding or rope-laying machine comprising'ia rotary flier carrying :a twisterhead formed with a pluralityof'radiallguide slots a pluralit'y'of strandiguide bushingsslidable in said slots, a member insulated from the flierand'surrounding the bushings;v :a collector ring rotating with the flier'and electrically connected withesai d member, a control circuit connectedion one side with'said collector ring-andgrounded on the other side to said flier; an electromagnetic element in said circuitanda motor for drivingsaid :fiier, the circuit of said motor being'under control-of said electromagnetic element, any of the severaliguide trol circuit in opencondition.

.ELMER G; 'STEUBER. 

